John Scally, Jimmy Garty, Ian Manning and Cora O’Reilly, blood donors from Westmeath who received awards at the IBTS ceremony in Navan in April.

IBTS donors awarded Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards

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The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) held its annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards Ceremony for the North-East, Midlands region on Friday 25 April, in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan.

One hundred and fourteen 50-time donors received their Gold Drops and 22 100-time donors received their Porcelain Pelicans at the ceremony. Donors and their guests attended from counties, Cavan, North County Dublin, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and Westmeath.

Iosif Korpas, area manager for the Ardee Centre, and MC for the event, welcomed everyone including IBTS board members, and congratulated the donors on their achievements.

Chief executive Officer Orla O’Brien thanked donors, stating that donating 50 times is an achievement, but donating 100 times is awe inspiring.

Present on the night were Kildare father and son, 100-time donor John Egan and 50-time donor Conor Egan, who between them have 219 donations, and the room erupted in applause when they received their awards.

It was noted that the Ardee Centre hosted the highest number of 100-time donor awards to date.

“It is lovely to personally meet the donors, without whose help we could not benefit the many people in our hospitals every day in Ireland,” said Ms O’Brien.

She presented each of the 50-time donors with their Gold Drop awards and the Porcelain Pelicans to the 100-time donors.

Mrs Emma Gilbey spoke on behalf of her family and thanked all the donors present. Emma had received blood throughout the four hours of emergency surgery that followed during the birth of her son Charlie.

Charlie (age 13) took to the podium to thank donors for saving his mother’s life and was rewarded with a standing ovation.

Iosif Korpas, area manager, delivered the closing address, and thanked the donors on their accomplishments. Donating 50 and 100 times requires significant dedication and they are inspiring, he said. Iosif also thanked Emma for sharing her powerful story, reminding all why blood donations are always required.

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